Abhishek Muralidharan (Right Hand Batsman)
Introduction:
Abhishek is one of the most natural cricketers I have encountered in my cricketing experience. Skillful, athletic, and cool under pressure. I think that he would make a very good captain as well. The first time I saw him was in one of our final games when we played in the Midwest Cricket League in Ohio. He had just landed a day or two before and was ready to play right away, telling you about his love for the game. Even though he didn't impress much with his batting in that first game, his fielding was simply outstanding. Right away, you could see that this guy was a special talent.
Development:
In the 2006 season, which was our first season in the Pittsburgh league, Abhishek showed a few glimpses of brilliance here and there but was never able to fulfill the potential he had as a cricketer. Part of the reason was lack of sleep before the games due to reasons well known to all of us. 2007 was a different season altogether. In his last season for WVUCC, Abhishek stepped up and transformed himself into a force to be reckoned with. With an aggregate of 349 runs, which included three breathtaking half centuries, Abhishek became the rock of our batting. While the other top order batsmen, like myself, were struggling to make runs, Abhishek led the way with the most natural strokeplay you can imagine. I rate him as the best WVUCC batsman for the 2007 season and one of the best WVUCC has ever produced. (Editors note: In 14 innings this season, Abishek failed to reach double digits just 3 times).
Technical Analysis:
Abhishek is the most correct batsman you will ever encounter technically. He plays with a straight bat and his strength is his offside play. He is primarily a backfoot player but plays with equal ease on the front foot. It is very hard to find fault with his batting technique. However, if I were to pick something it would be the middle stump line. At times he struggles with this line and is prone to an LBW dismissal. On the other hand he flicks very well and is comfortable pulling and hooking the ball. Like most of the other WVUCC batsmen, he too struggles against the full toss, even though he got better at putting it away as the season progressed.
My favorite Abhishek stroke is the backfoot cover drive.
My favorite Abhishek innings was the 53 against the Hurricanes.
Mental Analysis:
I think that Abhishek matured as a batsman over the two years I saw him play. The three half centuries he made are a true reflection of his mental growth and maturity. He was one of our senior batsmen this year and I think that the extra responsibility did wonders for him. He was able to concentrate for longer periods of time and form useful partnerships. His biggest mental strength is that he is very calm at the crease and plays his shots whenever offered the opportunity. He can score heaps of more runs if he controls his urge at times to go over the top and take undue risks. Overall a very strong mental cricketer!
What Else:
Abhishek also helped me a lot with useful suggestions on the field. He was very quick to realize which bowler should be rested at what time and for how long. He would stand at mid-on and would constantly encourge the bowlers. His calm demeanor eased the not-so-experienced players in the side and gave the captain a lot of confidence.
His marks out of ten (9/10)
Next up! Aravind Thiruvengadam (the revelation)
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